Chapter 352: The Final Farewell

When it comes to new tricks, The Return of the King has plenty more to offer.

Billy Boyd, one of the film's stars, composed a song titled The Final Farewell for The Lord of the Rings.

Gilbert found it quite beautiful after listening to it and decided to adopt it for the film.

As The Return of the King began its publicity campaign, right before its release.

ABC, a subsidiary of Disney, aired a special program that drew in many fans.

In this special, the host went into detail about The Lord of the Rings, covering everything from its inception to its planning and filming.

Finally, the program revisited the film's theatrical release, evoking memories in fans once more.

Particular attention was given to the protests from book fans and the unwavering support from moviegoers.

And how, in the end, the film's outstanding quality won over the book fans.

Noel, a devoted fan of both the books and the films, sat in front of the TV early to watch the special.

When it reached the segment about book fans protesting, Noel couldn't help but blush.

He silently blamed himself—why did he lose his mind back then and decide to protest?

But it turned out fine in the end. He, along with many other readers, had become loyal fans of the films.

Even the most stubborn of them, like Russell, had also become a fan of The Lord of the Rings movies.

It could be said that anyone who loved the books would eventually fall for the films too.

After a long introduction, the host finally wrapped up the program:

"Since 1998, The Lord of the Rings series has accompanied us for five years, and if you count from the start of its planning, it's been seven years now.

In those seven years, we've been awed, we've been moved, we've said our goodbyes now we've reached the final chapter.

Next, please enjoy Billy Boyd's The Final Farewell."

The host's words made Noel pause for a moment before it hit him

Yes, The Lord of the Rings was coming to an end.

With the final chapter releasing this summer, the entire series would be officially concluded. He had still been living in the dream.

For the past three years, a Lord of the Rings film each year had become a sort of tradition, a tacit appointment.

But now, it was time to say goodbye.

"I see the light fade as dusk draws near,

I hear the wind rise, like sighs and tears,

When snowy feathers shroud my friend so dear,

I whisper softly this final farewell..."

As the song played, the main characters of The Lord of the Rings began to flash across the screen.

Frodo Baggins innocent and kind, that beautiful soul bearing a heavy burden.

Samwise simple and honest, loyal and dependable, always lending Frodo a hand in silence.

Aragorn seasoned by life, reclaiming his kingly heart.

Legolas bow drawn, graceful as ever; Gimli fiery and brave; Gandalf calm and wise.

Merry and Pippin always the troublemakers, but never lacking courage when it mattered most.

Princess Arwen, Lady Galadriel, King Théoden, Éowyn… and so many others.

All of them had left Noel with wonderful memories.

Over the past three years, these once fictional characters had come alive on the big screen.

They made Noel believe that there truly was a Middle-earth, where stories like this were unfolding.

But now, was it really time to say goodbye?

"The rivers and mountains I've roamed,

All pains and sorrows I've known,

No regrets, no blame, I still hold dear,

Who stood with me through the storm and fear...

Though we walked side by side, all must end someday."

As the song played, the music video shifted from the actors to the behind-the-scenes crew.

There was the miraculous director, and a series of group photos.

Finally, the screen went black as Frodo closed his leather-bound book.

Noel suddenly felt his nose sting, and tears ran down his face before he even noticed.

Every journey has its end, and it was time to say goodbye.

Noel was already forty-five years old and had witnessed many farewells in life.

He had thought that as he aged, such scenes wouldn't stir him anymore.

But this time, The Lord of the Rings still touched him deeply with the sorrow of farewell.

This song, composed and sung by Billy Boyd, was truly well-crafted.

Paired with the carefully edited music video, it was a weapon of pure emotion.

In fact, this was part of the film's promotional campaign.

The MV was designed to stir fans' feelings of farewell and remind them that this summer would mark the series' final chapter.

They needed to seize the last chance to say goodbye to The Lord of the Rings in theaters.

The MV wasn't just aired in North America—it also aired in the UK, France, Germany; in Mexico, Brazil, Chile; in Japan, South Korea, and China.

Saying goodbye may sound easy, but when the moment comes, it's always hard to accept.

After watching the MV, Noel picked up his phone and called Huggins and Russell:

"Hey, let's go watch The Return of the King. Let's see it a few more times."

It wasn't just Noel. In New York, Ruiz and Evans had already informed all their friends and family to go to the theater to watch the film.

In Los Angeles, Doug and Zoey, as well as Lewis and Sarati Merton's fan group, decided to see The Return of the King five times this summer.

They were planning to say a proper goodbye to the movie.

In San Francisco, Jack Zhao and Irene planned to rent out an entire theater so that their employees Liu Yue, Wang Zhenzhen, and the others could watch to their heart's content.

And this wasn't just limited to North America.

In the UK, Prince Charles planned to enjoy the film with the people, going to the theater to watch this grand epic adapted from British novelist Tolkien's work.

In London, John swore that even if World War III broke out tomorrow, he'd still step into the cinema to see this movie.

In France, Boris rushed into the streets, joining a parade to bid a final farewell to The Lord of the Rings.

In Germany, Hans decided that after watching the film, he would travel to China that summer.

In China, Zhao Peng counted the cash in his wallet to see how many times he could afford a movie ticket.

In Japan, Jiro Nakajima planned to watch fewer masterpieces by his teachers in the coming days and save some energy for The Return of the King.

At that moment, The Lord of the Rings fans around the globe made the same spontaneous decision:

To go to the cinema this summer and say goodbye to The Lord of the Rings.

Other regions still had to wait due to scheduling.

But in North America, along with the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and seven or eight other European markets, fans were already running out of patience.

In the UK, the local cinema chain alliance called the theaters:

"I don't care about the other films. I just want to see The Return of the King in cinemas."

In France, the cinema manager communicated with their theaters:

"Art-house theaters? We don't need art now—we just need The Return of the King."

In North America, the three major cinema chains simultaneously instructed all their theaters:

"There's only one principle—wherever the theater is open, The Return of the King must be showing.

Doesn't matter if it's an art-house or a commercial cinema, all must screen The Return of the King..."

At the San Carlo Cinema in New York, the manager excitedly ordered his staff:

"Clear all screens. Leave only two for the other films. Give the rest to The Return of the King."

A staff member hesitated: "Manager, that would mean The Return of the King would be on 13 screens—isn't that too many?"

"Too many?"

The manager glared: "If it weren't for contractual restrictions, I'd have every single screen showing The Return of the King."

This wasn't just happening at one or two theaters—it was happening in cinemas across North America and all around the world.

...

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